PES 2009 Bolsters its Licenced Lineup

PES 2009 Bolsters its Licenced Line-up

Konami adds new club and national sides, as PES 2009's team roster expands further

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has confirmed a number of additional licenced elements for its forthcoming PES 2009 title. Due for release on October 16th for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360 and PC-DVD, the new game will benefit from the inclusion of some of the world’s biggest club and national sides.

Following the recent announcement of Konami’s four-year agreement to feature UEFA’s Champions League competition in the game, the publisher has also added a strong selection of other licensed teams for use in the game. The Dutch Eredivisie and French Ligue 1 will both be represented in their entirety, with full kits, player rosters and affiliated elements. Likewise, key clubs such as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, FC Porto, Liverpool and Manchester United, will also be resplendent in their official livery. Other additions include the likes of Zenit St. Petersbourg and Brondby IF, amongst others. Konami has also added a number of new national sides to PES 2009, with Northern Ireland amongst those added to the International rosters of respected teams like Netherlands, England and Italy.

The publisher has also included several new stadia in the new game, with faithfully recreated versions of the Stade de France, Stadio Olimpico di Torino and the new Wembley Stadium included for the first time. These new agreements confirm Konami’s commitment to constantly adding new licences to the PES series.

PES 2009 will be released for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD and mobile phones on 17th October, followed by versions for PlayStation®2 on 30th October, and for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) on 6th November and for Wii in 2009.


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Ubisoft Deploys Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway to Stores

Ubisoft and Gearbox Software announced that Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway has shipped to retail stores. You can read our review of the game here. Below is the press release announcing the launch of the game:

UBISOFT AND GEARBOX SOFTWARE DEPLOY BROTHERS IN ARMS HELL'S HIGHWAY(TM) TO STORES

SAN FRANCISCO - SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 - Today Ubisoft and Gearbox Software announced that Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway(TM) for the Xbox 360(r) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION(r)3 computer entertainment system has shipped to retail stores and is now available for an MSRP of $59.99. Developed by Gearbox Software, Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway is the third iteration of the highly successful and award-winning Brothers In Arms series.

Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway brings the critically acclaimed squad-based WWII shooter into the next generation of gaming with amazing graphics, sound and new cutting-edge gameplay features. Delivering on the franchise's compelling story, unrivaled authenticity and intense squad-based action, Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway drops you into Operation Market Garden, the largest airborne operation of World War II. Lead Matt Baker, Joe Hartsock and the rest of the 101st Airborne Division as they fight to open "Hell's Highway" in a daring bid for a quick end to the war.

"Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway has turned out to be the most authentic, intense and action-oriented recreation of true history ever offered as interactive entertainment," said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. "We know that many fans have been anticipating this day where our commitment to quality has finally led us to deliver the immersive story-driven, squad combat focused, next-generation vision of authentic warfare in Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway."


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Namco Museum Virtual Arcade Screenshots

Namco Bandai Games released today new screenshots of their latest entry in the esteemed Namco Museum franchise, Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade for the Xbox 360.

Go back in time with Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade and relive classic Namco arcade games including Boraduke, Bosconian, Dig Dug, Dig Dug 2, Dig Dug Arrangement, Dragon Blast, Dragon Spirit, Galaga ’88, Galaga Arrangement, Galaxian, Pac-Man, Pole Position and Rolling Thunder, as well as a host of others. Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade also features Pac-Man Championship Edition which was voted the best downloadable game of 2007 from numerous video game publications. With more than 30 games spanning three decades worth of arcade nostalgia, Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade is the most fully realized Namco Museum collection yet.

     

     

Click here to view all screenshots
Over 30 games are available, nine of which are from Namco Bandai’s Xbox Live Arcade library. Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade will be available this November for an MSRP of $29.99.


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Double D Dodgeball Get Bent DLC Trailer and Screens

YUKE'S Company of America announced today that the all new “Get Bent” downloadable content pack is now available for Double D Dodgeball on Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360. “Get Bent” Downloadable Content Pack Released for Double D Dodgeball on XBLA

CHICAGO - Sept. 17, 2008 - YUKE'S Company of America, the U.S. publishing arm of Japanese game developer YUKE'S Company Limited, today announced that the all new “Get Bent” downloadable content pack is now available for Double D Dodgeball on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The in-game content will feature Curver, a new player with enhanced ball-curving capabilities and a super shot that causes the ball to disappear, challenging the opposing player’s catching skills.


HD (1280x720) | SD (640x360)             Click here to view all screenshots
In addition, new themes and picture packs were made available last week to commemorate the release of the “Get Bent” DLC. The Theme Pack contains five new images to enhance the look of your XBLA theme, while the Picture Pack includes images of the five original characters featuring a colorful art style for fans to use as a profile picture.

Double D Dodgeball, released on July16th, is an arcade-style take on the beloved sport, allowing players to face off in teams of up to four live players, or six including the AI, in a variety of arenas and match types. Players can strategize before a match begins by drafting a customized team and selecting from five specialized characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Compete on a variety of different courts, each version coming in Western and Eastern rules, to find out who is the top dodgeballer on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360. Double D Dodgeball is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

The "Get Bent" DLC pack is available now and is priced at 100 Microsoft® Points.


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Microsoft Cuts Xbox 360 Prices in Europe

Following the price cuts in Japan and the U.S., comes the official announcement of the new retail prices for the Xbox 360 family of consoles in Europe.
XBOX 360 OFFERS NEW PRICE IN THE UK PROVIDING MORE FUN FOR EVERYONE WITH THE BEST LINE UP OF GAMES AND HD ENTERTAINMENT

Xbox 360 looks to extend its lead as the Next Generation platform of choice due to the recent success of the console with a new estimated retail pricing from £129.99

LONDON – 16th September 2008 - Imagine if friends and families had the ability to instantly watch movies and share pictures, live out their musical fantasies through “Lips” (iNiS Corp./Microsoft Game Studios) and “Rock Band” (Harmonix/MTV Games) and star in their own Hollywood classics with “You’re in the Movies” (Codemasters/Microsoft Game Studios) — all from one console, starting at an estimated retail price (ERP) of only £129.99. That is the Xbox 360™, and Microsoft today announced the new lower ERP for its Xbox 360 family of consoles in Europe. Now with an entry-level ERP of £129.99 and offering a plethora of exciting and broad entertainment in the living room, Xbox 360 is the true home of mass market entertainment with something to offer for every interest and budget.

From Friday, 19th September, Xbox 360, which includes a 60GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will have an ERP of £169.99. The Xbox 360 Elite, which comes with a massive 120GB hard drive enabling consumers to store huge quantities of content downloaded from Xbox LIVE™ Marketplace as well as their own music, will have an ERP of £229.99. The Xbox 360 Arcade console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will have an ERP of £129.99.

The new ERPs are part of Microsoft’s ongoing strategy to open up the ultimate in high-definition gaming and entertainment to an even wider audience, with something for everyone. A major part of this strategy is a new Xbox LIVE online experience coming to Europe this autumn that will reinvent home entertainment from the inside out, with a bold new look and feel that is fun, social and simple to use. It’s the first time in history that a mass market consumer electronics device has been reinvented through free software, changing the way we play games, watch movies, and even become contestants in game shows. Along with the new Xbox experience, the Xbox 360 platform is offering a stunning games portfolio for all ages and interests this Christmas, with new titles for music lovers, family-friendly games, and exciting blockbuster titles for the committed gamer.

“Xbox 360 has now sold over 20 million consoles worldwide and due to its unprecedented success, we are now able to pass on the rewards of that success to the consumer with a new retail pricing from £129.99”, said Neil Thompson, Senior Regional Director, Microsoft UK. “With more games, more entertainment with Xbox LIVE and now even more value, we are looking forward to welcoming more customers into the leading Next Generation console, Xbox 360.”


Bringing Music Games to Life

Whether you’re an aspiring groupie, songbird or big-haired rocker, this Christmas Xbox 360 transforms your living room into a thrilling soundstage for you and your friends. No other system connects you with all the music you love:

“Lips” (iNiS/Microsoft Game Studios). “Lips,” an all-new music franchise exclusively from Xbox 360, is the only singing party game that offers wireless motion-sensitive microphones and a robust and diverse list of songs representing multiple musical genres, ranging from pop, rock and dance to hip-hop, country and R&B. “Rock Band” (Harmonix/Electronic Arts). “Rock Band” is the next-gen music game that lets you live out your rock-and-roll fantasy. Embark on a solo career as a guitarist, bassist, drummer, or singer, and rock out to some of the biggest rock anthems of all time. “Guitar Hero® World Tour” (RedOctane/Activision). The latest instalment from the No. 1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, “Guitar Hero World Tour” will transform music gaming by marrying the exhilarating guitar gameplay of “Guitar Hero” with a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless instruments with revolutionary new online and offline gameplay modes.

Xbox 360 Is the Life of the Party

Xbox 360 truly gets the party started with a wide-ranging portfolio of exclusive games for the whole family, including:

“You’re in the Movies” (Codemasters/Microsoft Game Studios). Get ready for your close-up. “You’re in the Movies” brings the cool factor to kitsch as you live out your dreams of becoming a scream queen, zombie or kung fu fighter. Premiering exclusively on Xbox 360 this holiday season, “You’re in the Movies” is the first and only game of its kind to literally transport players into a magical world of cinema mixed with the hilarious world of improvisation. “Scene It? Box Office Smash” (Krome Studios and Screenlife/Microsoft Game Studios). “Scene It? Box Office Smash,” the revolutionary movie trivia game on Xbox 360, will ignite your game night this Christmas with totally new questions, movie puzzles and more high-definition (HD) content from real movies including some of Hollywood’s latest blockbusters. With the New Xbox Experience, players can literally put themselves into the game through custom avatars that respond to play and react to one another throughout the course of the game. Movie fans in France, Italy, German, Spain and the U.K. have even more to love, with content from some of their favourite local films included in versions of the game sold in their countries. “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” (Rare Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios). Available exclusively on Xbox 360 in November, from the creative masterminds at Rare, “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” is an action-adventure game that breathes new life into a franchise that has entertained people of all ages for a decade. In a platform genre first, players create their own abilities by building vehicles for Banjo to pilot over land, sea and air in a variety of Challenges where their choice of vehicle and tactics determines the course of the adventure. “Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” (Rare Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios). In this sequel to the colourful sleeper hit “Viva Piñata”, players can venture outside the boundaries of the immersive and ever-changing garden to retrieve exotic piñata species from two new lands, the Dessert Desert and the Piñarctic. Developed by Rare, “Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” allows up to four players to work together to create the ultimate online garden via Xbox LIVE.

The Biggest Blockbusters of 2008 and Beyond

With the most blockbuster, million-selling games and some highly- anticipated titles in 2008 and beyond, Xbox 360 is the pre-eminent place to play all the big titles that gamers thirst for, including the following:

Fallout® 3 (Bethesda Softworks). Included in “Fallout 3” is an expansive world, unique combat, shockingly realistic visuals, tons of player choice, and an incredible cast of dynamic characters. Every minute is a fight for survival against the terrors of the outside world—radiation, super mutants, and hostile mutated creatures. “Fable II” (Lionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios). This Xbox 360 exclusive action role-playing game offers players an epic storyline and an unprecedented level of freedom and choice. Every decision defines who the player becomes and influences the evolving world around them. “Gears of War 2” (Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios). “Gears of War 2” is the most anticipated Xbox 360 exclusive title this holiday season and will be released worldwide Nov. 7. “Grand Theft Auto IV” (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games). Continuing its blistering pace on the Xbox 360 platform, the first of the Xbox 360 exclusive downloadable episodes for this record-breaking game will be available this autumn — the only console with new “Grand Theft Auto IV” content available this Christmas. “Tomb Raider: Underworld” (EIDOS). “Tomb Raider: Underworld” represents a new advancement in exploration-based gameplay. As fearless adventurer Lara Croft explore exotic locations around the world, each designed with an incredible attention to detail resulting in breathtaking high-definition visual fidelity that creates a truly believable world and delivers a new level of challenge and choice. James Bond: Quantum of Solace (Treyarch/Activision Inc.) James Bond is back to settle the score in Activision Inc.’s Quantum of Solace video game. Introducing a more lethal and cunningly efficient Bond, the game blends intense first-person action with a unique third-person cover combat system allowing players to truly experience what it is like to be the ultimate secret agent as they use their stealth, precision shooting and lethal combat skills to progress through missions. Prince of Persia (Ubisoft). “Prince of Persia” is set in a land rooted in ancient Persian mythology, with the Prince finding himself caught in an epic battle between the primal forces of light and darkness. Master the acrobatics, strategy and fighting tactics of the most agile warrior of all time. Grip fall down the face of a building, perform perfectly timed acrobatic combinations, swing over canyons, buildings, and anything that is reachable.


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Rock Band Gets New Megadeth Album

In what certainly looks as a response to the release of Metallica's highly anticipated "Death Magnetic" album for Guitar Hero, Harmonix and MTV Games announced today that Megadeth’s album "Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?" will join the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content.
ROCK BAND™ FANS THROW UP THE HORNS FOR CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED HEAVY METAL MEGADETH ALBUM PEACE SELLS…BUT WHO’S BUYING?

Harmonix and MTV Games announced today the addition of Megadeth’s album Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? as the fourth album to join the Rock Band™ Music Store catalog of downloadable content. One of the most influential heavy metal albums of its time, Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? will be available starting September 16, 2008, for the Xbox®360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and September 18, 2008, for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainmentsystem.

Megadeth, a pioneer of the American thrash metal movement, has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and continues to stand apart with their snarling vocals and distinctive guitar style. The seminal 1986 classic Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? has sold more than one million copies nationwide, with the title track included on the Rock Band 2 disc with the DLC album including the following tracks:

Wake Up Dead The Conjuring Devil’s Island Good Mourning / Black Friday Bad Omen I Ain’t Superstitious My Last Words

Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? will be available for $10.99 (880 Microsoft Points) for the album, or $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) per track.

With the addition of the Megadeth album there are now more than 300 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/dlc). Rock Band continues to fly off shelves and satisfy music fans and gamers' voracious appetite for rock with more than 21 million downloads since its launch on November 20, 2007. The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library.

Rock Band allows online play and features that expand the boundaries of music gaming. Rock Band downloadable content is playable and integrated into setlists in all game modes including: Solo Tour, Band World Tour, head-to-head competition either locally or online, and from any Quickplay mode. In order to play downloadable content for head-to-head matches or multiplayer online, all players must own the same downloadable track. Downloadable content for Xbox 360 is available for purchase via Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for Xbox 360 using Microsoft Points and is downloaded directly to the Xbox 360 hard drive. Downloadable content for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system's version of Rock Band is available for purchase on the PLAYSTATION®Store through the free PLAYSTATION®Network and is downloaded directly to PLAYSTATION 3 system's built in hard drive.

Harmonix, the world's premier music video game company in the world, and MTV Games, launched Rock Band 2 September 14, 2008, which supports all previously downloaded content. The groundbreaking music platform that forever changed the face of music video games is committed to taking gaming to the next level with the evolution of the franchise. Rock Band 2 will make its debut on Xbox 360 and be available for additional platforms later this year.

Rock Band is rated "T" for Teen (lyrics, mild suggestive themes) by the ESRB. For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.


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Tales of Vesperia Special Edition Announced

Namco Bandai Games revealed today plans for a Special Edition version of Tales of Vesperia for the Xbox 360. Below is the press release with info on the content of this edition, plus a picture of the retail package:
NAMCO BANDAI Games America Reveals Tales of Vesperia™ Special Edition

NAMCO BANDAI Games today revealed plans for a Special Edition version of Tales of Vesperia™ for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Packaged in a SteelBook case with original artwork by longtime Tales series character designer Kosuke Fujishima, each copy of the special edition comes with a 10th anniversary soundtrack CD packed with some of the series’ musical highlights from past and present. The CD contains 25 tracks, with 14 songs from Tales of Vesperia, two from Tales of Phantasia, two from Tales of Destiny, four from Tales of Symphonia and three from Tales of the Abyss. The Tales of Vesperia special edition will carry a suggested retail price of $69.99 and will be available in limited quantities through select retailers.

Click here to view high-resolution image

Highlighting the 10th anniversary of the Tales series in North America, Tales of Vesperia launches the role-playing genre to new heights of interactive storytelling and captivating gameplay. Featuring a strategic real-time battle system and incredible “living anime” graphics, the game offers a true next-generation role-playing experience with all the classic touches that fans of the genre expect.

Tales of Vesperia for the Xbox 360 will be available in stores on August 26.


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